Kinkead Ridge Petit Verdot 2005

Once in awhile everything seems to come together, and it certainly did on Sunday night.  There were still some fresh blackberries left from earlier in the week. There was a sale on beef tenderloin at the local market.  Finally this coming weekend marks the release of the 2011 red wines from Kinkead Ridge Winery.

I always try and drink an older vintage of their wines the week before the release of the new siblings to the world.  There was no need to change that this year.

The tenderloin was cut into filets and they were wrapped in bacon slices. They got a sear on the stove top in duck fat and a few minutes in the oven to come up to 110 degrees.  While they rested we made the sauce.

I drained the fat from the pan and set it back over high heat on a burner and added beef stock and cognac and a handful of the fresh blackberries.  That all reduced and the blackberries were crushed into the liquid.  Next in was a bit of tomato paste, a dash of blackberry vinegar and a smidgeon of blackberry preserves.    Finally the sauce was strained and put back in the skillet and a couple of tablespoons of butter was blended in until it emulsified.  The filet was sliced and set atop some of the sauce, and a little more was spooned over the top.  Wild rice, a few more blackberries and fresh tomatoes completed the picture.

Obviously this was no meal for a wimpy wine and the 2005 Petit Verdot will never be accused of that.  The color was as black as the berries and the flavor was just as full.  The aromas were strong with dry saddle leather, a little graphite, and tons of rich fruit.  Blackberries and cassis were the prominent flavors with an undercurrent of some blueberries as well.  Great tannin and wonderful acid gave the wine a great structure to support these flavors.  Age has mellowed it and brought all the parts together and it's drinking beautifully now. 

The wine was a remarkable match with the beef and wild rice.  The two complimented and favored each other because there were no shy flavors present.

2005 Kinkead Ridge Petit Verdot.  13.4% alcohol and $19.95  Three more in the cellar.